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Lazberia
Lazberia (ラズベリア Razuberia) is a continent in the TearRing SagaSeries that serves as the setting for Berwick Saga. Based on descriptions from Shouzou Kaga's blog, it is believed to be situated north of the continent of Lieberia. There is known to be an unseen continent situated to the east of Lazberia. Historically, the first widespread settlement on the continent was the Lazberian Empire, which fell roughly a thousand years before the present day. In the modern period, the two main factions on the continent in the modern period are the Berwick League in the north and west and the Raze Empire in the east. Centuries of on-and-off warfare between these two great powers have largely defined the history on the continent since the fall of the ancient Lazberian Empire. Geography Lazberia is covered in a significant amount of mountains and highlands, especially in the west. Significant ranges include the Amtyre Mountains (アムタイル山岳 Amutairu Sangaku) and the Goran Plateaus (ゴラン高原 Goran Kougen), located around the Highland Duchy, the Pesil Mountains (ペシル山岳 Pesil Sangaku) in the Kingdom of Pesil, and the Neam Mountains (ニーム山脈 Nīmu Sanmyaku) in Narvia. Forests and grasslands are known to be plentiful in most areas between these highlands. A forest called the Devil's Woods (魔神の森 Majin no Mori) covers the vast majority of the Morra Region (モーラ地方 Mōra Chihou), corresponding roughly to the Razite province of Garna, while the Barmoar Forest (バルモアの森 Barumoa no Mori) and Danae Forest (ダナエの森 Danae no Mori) cover significant swaths of land in Veria. Harsher regions of the continent include the cold regions roughly corresponding to the Northern Lands; the hot Sakiria Desert (サキリア砂漠 Sakiria Sabaku), which covers most of the Razite provinces of Sakiria and Boar; and the largely uninhabited Liga Desert (リガ砂漠 Riga Sabaku) owned by Veria. The most significant body of water for Lazberia is the Sea of Berre (variously ベール海 Bēru Kai or ヴェール海 Vēru Kai), a massive inland sea in the center of the continent that has enabled maritime trade to flourish. In ancient times, the sea had been a great freshwater lake, but the earthquake that destroyed the Old Empire split a narrow strait through the southern edge of the continent and connected it to the ocean. The only major landmass in the Sea of Berre is called Berwick Island (ベルウィック島). Significant rivers branching off from the Sea of Berre include the Sevall River (セヴァール河 Sevāru Kawa) in northeastern Veria and the Remagen River (レマゲン河 Remagen Kawa). Calendar Two main calendar systems are in use in Lazberia, called RAC and VAC, or the Razite and Verian calendars, respectively. The RAC calendar, which is used in the Raze Empire, counts years starting from the Empire's founding. The VAC calendar, used in the Berwick League, is counted from the death date of High Priest Aramgraz. The 1st day of the 1st month of the 1st year of VAC (0001/01/01 VAC) corresponds to the 14th day of the 11th month of the 27th year of RAC (0027/11/14 RAC), giving an offset of 26 years, 10 months, and 13 days. It is not mentioned what the lengths of the months or years are, but it is known that days are 24 hours, both calendars use 12 months, and the world has the same four seasons as the real world. In the fan translation, RAC month names are adapted from Irish, while VAC months are English: However, note that due to the offset between the calendars, these months do not line up exactly between calendars. For example, Eanair in RAC lasts roughly from the middle of February to the middle of March in VAC. History Rise and Fall of the Old Empire The Lazberian Empire, or Empire of Lazberia (ラズベリア帝国 Razuberia Teikoku), also called the Old Empire (旧帝国 Kyuuteikoku) to distinguish it from the name of the continent, was founded by Zoan settlers from the continent of Lieberia roughly in the year -1200 RAC (Lieberian year 34), roughly 1800 years before Berwick Saga. These Zoans had originally been loyal followers of Gerxel who fled from Lieberia for fear of persecution after the uprising of Carluon and Utna and the fall of the old Zoa Empire. It is unclear whether the god Lazberia (after whom the empire and continent were named) was simply a new name for Gerxel, or if these Zoan pilgrims adopted the religion of the natives they conquered. They called themselves the Sons of God (神の子ら kami no kora) and claimed to hail from the celestial kingdom of Altesia (アルテシア Aruteshia), so they may have absorbed the natives' religious names and terms into their own religion in order to justify their conquest of the continent. Regardless, these founding Zoans used advanced technology and their knowledge of magic to oppress the native peoples of Lazberia. They destroyed the tribes' original ethnic identities and enslaved them, creating a harsh caste system. Due to the massive workforce this provided, they were able to create a powerful state in the ancient Morra Region. Over the next millennium after the Empire's founding, this religion underwent major changes. Lazberia became worshiped in two aspects—the Sky Father Raze, god of the night and death, and the Earth Mother Veria, goddess of the day and rebirth—two halves of the same creator deity who held the cosmos together. Eventually, these two sects had a schism, and these two aspects were recognized into two entirely different deities. Raze's sect, being that of a powerful god of darkness, was favored by those in power, while Veria's sect was largely sidelined. The descendants of the Sons of God enacted laws that further distanced themselves from the lower classes, such as forbidding mixed-race marriages and exiling dissenting citizens from the capital. The descendants of these dissenting voices, largely followers of the goddess Veria, would eventually carry on part of the Empire's legacy. The higher classes, however, remained almost exclusively in the Old Empire's capital (named Heliki in fan translation materials), a fact which indirectly helped cause the downfall of their civilization. About a thousand years after the Empire's founding, a massive earthquake sank the Empire's coastal capital into the Sea of Berre, dragging its inhabitants down with it. Only a few scattered individuals living outside the capital—mostly slave-owners and exiles—survived the destruction. After the Empire's fall, the land fell into disarray. In the next two centuries, the cities that remained of the once-great Empire were consumed in civil war. The final blow was dealt when mighty barbarians invaded from a continent to the east and sacked the Empire's former lands. Former slaves revolted from their masters, and what remained of the Old Empire's civilization was shattered. Rise of Raze and Eltana A chieftain of the eastern barbarians named Zedius, hearing of the great nation that had gone before, slowly began to pick up the scattered pieces of the Old Empire. With the assistance of a chance survivor of the Old Empire’s Razite clergy—who had preserved bits and pieces of the near-lost knowledge of technology and magic—Zedius led a powerful army to reclaim the majority of the Old Empire’s territory, uniting the east under his banner. And in doing so, he ultimately created a successor state to the Old Empire, a new autocratic regime following only one god, the Sky Father Raze. The Raze Empire (ラーズ帝国), as this new Empire was called, has continued to flourish for the past six centuries. Aside from this, the formerly enslaved farmers and exiled clergy of Earth Mother Veria had founded their own state, the Free Commonwealth of Veria (自由ヴェリア共和国 Jiyuu Veria Kyouwakoku) in the western regions of the Old Empire (roughly the northeastern tip of modern Garna province). These people were particularly devout followers of Veria, and they took in freedmen and fugitive slaves from across the surrounding area, growing to a massive size of over a million citizens. However, it was not to be a peaceful time for them. During the era of the new Raze Empire’s initial expansion westward, the fight to remain independent grew more and more dire. Before the power and numbers of the Razites, the Commonwealth was forced to gradually cede their borders, and a terrible religious crackdown by the invaders was feared to be inevitable. In those days, a man named Aramgraz was a priest of the Commonwealth. He was a pure-blooded descendant of the Sons of God who had devoted more than thirty years to liberating and providing relief to slaves. He entreated the people of the Commonwealth to try for peaceful coexistence with the Razites, but his opinion was a minority against his vehement contemporaries. However, he then called for a different solution: a great migration westward, far away from the Empire. In 22 RAC, Aramgraz led over a hundred thousand migrants on a journey to the west, the Exodus (逃避行 Touhikou). They traveled across the burning Sakiria Desert, defending themselves from the hostile mountain-tribes of Pesil along the way, until they finally reached the great Sevall River in the following year. No one from their homeland had ever set foot beyond the Sevall, but the region's remoteness would prove to be a valuable defense against the Raze Empire. From there, they traveled further west, coming to a great conifer-dotted grassland overlooking two large lakes with small rivers in between. It was here that Aramgraz would found a new city-state, the Republic of Eltana (エルタナ共和国 Erutana Kyouwakoku), named after a mythical land of wheat, milk, and honey. After Aramgraz's death (the start of 1 VAC), his disciples went on to found the Church of Veria based on his teachings and writings, swearing to pass on his wisdom to all future generations. His granddaughter, Valentia, became the Church's first Apostle. However, a crisis soon came to the young republic. The region they settled in was sparsely populated, but not empty. They began to make contact with the surrounding tribes; many of them were kindred spirits, providing much-needed trade partners and coexisting peacefully, but others began to raid and wear down the republic's defenses. The more Eltana grew, the greater the threat became, and after VAC 50, it was a crisis of life and death. Surrounding tribes had begun to feel threatened by Eltana’s rapid growth, and they formed a confederation, besieging the capital in a fierce battle that lasted three years. As an infant republic, Eltana was unable to respond efficiently to this emergency. Even when the city walls were on the verge of collapse, the senators were still trudging through bureaucratic debates. The Apostle Valentia, greatly troubled at this situation the dissolved the Senate at the behest of an emergency civil society that had formed. Instead, she temporarily placed all authority in the hands of a trustworthy leader, General Arless. He was a prestigious and intelligent nobleman whose family had served at Aramgraz’s right hand from the earliest days, and he had overwhelming support among the citizens. Under Arless’s leadership and quick thinking, the people of Eltana were able to unite against their besiegers, and in less than a year, all the barbarians were subjugated; the crisis that threatened the Eltana Republic was averted. Due to Arless’s overwhelming success, the civil society resolved that the republic should transition to a monarchy under his rule. This motion eventually passed among the civil society in 62 VAC, when the Kingdom of Veria (ヴェリア王国 Veria Oukoku) was born with Arless I as its first absolute monarch. The city of Eltana became the new royal capital, Valemtine. However, the kingdom would still have much growing to do, as it was still a small state with less than 20% of its modern territory. As for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Veria back in the east, they eventually would have to flee north as well during the next centuries. Around the time of their migration, legend says that the goddess Veria selected three maidens as her Chosen Ones: St. Leia, St. Riana, and St. Serenia, who wielded Anima (magic)|Anima magic to defend her followers. The people of the Commonwealth settled north of the Empire and intermixed with local populations, founding the Kingdoms of Leia, Ishs, and Pesil '''(collectively the '''Eastern Three or the Leia Region); some of them also moved north and west from there, founding both the Kingdom of Riana (by St. Riana) and later the Duchy of Serenia '''(by St. Serenia). From the earliest times, these nations have been allied with their close neighbor, the Kingdom of Veria. Beginning of the Holy War Half a century after the founding of Veria, disagreements arose with the Raze Empire regarding jurisdiction of the Leia Region. The Empire claimed the former Commonwealth of Veria as having been their own territory, and so also claimed that the kingdoms of the Leia Region were therefore Imperial colonies. The Kingdom of Veria and others sided against them, supporting the Leia Region's claims of independence from the Raze Empire. No agreement could be found, and the conflict escalated into a long-standing war that has lasted nearly five centuries to the present day. In order to better combat the threat the Raze Empire presented, the other nations formed an alliance of eleven nations, signing a pact on Berwick Island, forming the '''Berwick League (ベルウィック同盟 Beruwikku Doumei). The original signatories to the alliance were Veria, Leia, Ishs, Pesil, Riana, and the six other kingdoms of the Northern Lands. They have since been joined by the seven Verian Duchies (Yutoria, Serenia, Bornia, Narvia, Diana, the Highland, and the Lowland), the five Verian Marches (Mineva, Sinon, and three unknown others), and the Autonomous See of Danae (the seat of the Church of Veria). The League was originally meant to be an equal alliance among the eleven founders, but since Veria also was the seat of the Church, it naturally became the leader. If any of the dukes or margraves ever disobeyed this unspoken agreement, they would be executed as rebels; kingdoms like Leia and Riana are not held to such strict requirements, but obedience is still expected. The Berwick Civil War In 600 VAC, after the murder of King Harmel VII, Crown Prince Arless of Veria was implicated as the prime suspect. During his trial, the lords among the Berwick League separated into two factions, once supporting Arless's innocence and the other condemning him. In a naïve attempt to stop this civil strive, Arless committed suicide and left behind a suicide note falsely admitting his guilt, leaving the kingdom to his younger half-brother Mordias. However, this instead escalated the conflict even further, with the two sides arguing whether Arless's final message was a forgery or not. The lords who had supported Arless formed an alliance of ten countries: Leia, Pesil, Ishs, and the seven Northern Lands. They claimed that Arless's note was a forgery by Mordias to usurp the throne, and they insisted that Arless's eldest son Bernard be crowned the next king of Veria. Opposing them was Prince Mordias's faction, who argued that the note was genuine, and that the son of a murderer had no right to inherit. No agreement could be found, and the argument escalated into a civil war. Mordias led the "Western Powers," while Arless's father-in-law King Carloman of Leia led the "Eastern Powers" with Bernard as their figurehead. After several years, the war began to lean in Mordias's favor, and a decisive blow was dealt to the Eastern Powers at the Battle of Sevall River, where King Carloman was struck down by Bernstol, a knight of Veria. Mordias, who had correctly gauged the unity of the Eastern Powers as shaken by Carloman’s death, sent an offer of ceasefire to Prince Bernard after the battle, which Bernard readily accepted. However, the ceasefire offer was simply a machination of Prince Mordias. Bernard and his men were captured on the spot. Bernard would remain a prisoner of the Kingdom of Veria for the next twelve years. After Carloman's death and Bernard's capture, Carloman's son Alecto was crowned King of Leia and assumed the position of leader of the Eastern Powers. Along with his sister Ferianne, the remnants of the Eastern Powers holed themselves up in Leia Castle, where they held out against multiple sieges throughout the end of 603 VAC, to Mordias's frustration. Then, in a shocking move, Mordias requested aid from Veria's long-time enemy, the Raze Empire (who had remained neutral in the Civil War so far), in order to help stamp out the remnants of the rebellion. Mordias argued that the Eastern Powers posed a threat to Raze's stability in the border regions near Leia, to which Emperor Kleiman VI agreed. With assistance from the Razite army, Leia Castle fell in Martius 604 VAC, and King Alecto was defeated. In the following months, the Eastern Powers fell apart completely, and their soldiers were hunted down en masse by the Western Powers and the Raze Empire. However, in Maius 604 VAC, the Apostle Silpha revealed via divine oracle that Harmel VII had not been assassinated by Arless, but rather by agents of Pope Urbanus IV of the Church of Raze. After revealing this, she sent an ultimatum to Mordias to make peace with the Eastern Powers. Mordias agreed to do so, but on the condition that in exchange, Silpha would crown Mordias as King of Veria. Silpha, having no reason to refuse (as Arless had left the succession to Mordias in his final note), agreed, crowning him Mordias IV, the 33rd King of Veria, in the Sextilis 604 VAC. In response to Urbanus's actions, the peace-loving Emperor Kleiman VI of Raze banished Urbanus as a warmonger. Despite this agreement, however, Mordias did not stop the war nor release Bernard, so Silpha threatened him with excommunication if he did not make good on his word. After Mordias showed remorse, however, Silpha granted him a pardon, but it was yet another of Mordias's plots. He leaked false information to the Shining Knights guarding the Apostle of an uprising in the Highland Duchy, and he had Apostle Silpha assassinated in a manner falsely implicating the Raze Empire in Septembris 604 VAC. Now that the Apostle was dead, the Western Powers and the Raze Empire together stamped out the remnants of the Eastern Powers' resistance. During this time, Prince Friedrich and Princess Anastasia of Leia were captured by the Raze Army and brought to the Empire as slaves, though the Empire knew nothing of their identities. Under the assumed names of Zephyrus and Spica, Friedrich was forced into the Empire's janissary program, while Anastasia became a domestic servant. Some time later, "Spica's" identity was revealed, and she was brought before Emperor Kleiman himself. However, he was charmed by her beauty, and rather than use her as a prisoner, he married her; soon, Empress Anastasia gave birth to a son, Manaris, which greatly upset Kleiman's nephew Faisal, who had been first in line for the throne for many years. The Holy Wars Resume Having framed the Raze Empire for Silpha's death in Septembris 604 VAC, Mordias IV declared war on Raze, calling them traitors and followers of a false god. The assassination and framing worked politically in Mordias's favor, ridding himself of the Apostle's interfering and to unite the now-fragmented Berwick League against a common enemy to boost his popularity and cement his position as king. In his initial call to arms against the Raze Empire, Mordias demanded that the loyal armies of the Berwick League gather at Fort Sakiria in Pesil within six months. The Church of Veria in Danae supported these actions, and they sent the Shining Knights to show their support to Mordias. However, a survivor from the scene of the assassination, Paramythis, revealed to Denimud (Silpha's husband and leader of the Shining Knights) that Mordias was responsible. Outraged by this, Denimud and the Shining Knights turned on Mordias; Mordias proclaimed that Denimud had gone mad, and he sent soldiers to exterminate him and his knights. This conflict, the Shining Rebellion, prolonged the period of civil war for several more years until Denimud's death in 607 VAC. With his death, Veria's long period of civil war finally ended; this era would come to be known as the "Eight Years of Blood," spanning 600 to 607 VAC. The Shining Rebellion notwithstanding, the armies of the Berwick League gathered at Fort Sakiria by Martius 605 VAC as ordered, and by 606 VAC, a full-scale invasion of the Raze Empire was underway. In 610 VAC, they advanced near the Imperial Capital of Leoglard, but thanks to the efforts of the Empire's newly promoted General Zephyrus (who had worked his way through the janissary corps to his position through willpower and skill), the forces of the Berwick League were put on the defensive, and they were beaten back to Fort Sakiria, which was besieged for years. Due to the people of Raze's fear and hatred of the Berwick League, the bellicose Urbanus IV was pardoned and reinstated as pope of the Church of Raze. He and Imperial Prince Faisal conspired to overthrow the Raze Empire from within, placing Faisal on the throne rather than Kleiman VI's infant son Manaris. In Aprilis 616 VAC, Fort Sakiria finally fell to the Raze Empire. Mordias IV gathered eighty thousand of his strongest knights in aid of the soldiers of Fort Sakiria, but he was ambushed en route in the Battle of Ishs Forest and his forces routed. After these devastating losses, the Berwick League slowly succumbed to the Razite invasion, either defecting to the Empire's side or being overrun by the forces of General Zephyrus and Imperial Prince Faisal. Within a year of the Battle of Ishs Forest, Veria's capital Valemtine was captured by Imperial forces. Fleeing from his fallen capital, Mordias's newly-crowned son King Volcens and his court fled to the southern Duchy of Narvia, where they attempted to reestablish the Berwick League. Once again, he called to all loyal members of the League to gather their forces at Narvia's capital of Navaron, from which a counteroffensive could be mounted. In Junius 618 VAC, a small force of Sinonese knights led by Margrave Bernstol's son Reese reached Navaron to show their support for the League. The bulk of Sinon's forces remained behind in Sinon, where they held off the western front of the Raze Empire until 619 VAC. At Navaron, King Volcens showed his unreadiness as a ruler, and his judgment was further impaired by the presence of Imperial spies in his court. As the war continued, more and more former lands of the Berwick League betrayed him for the Raze Empire, including Pesil, Yutoria, Serenia, and (partly) Bornia. Eventually, facing his imminent defeat, Volcens had Serenia's Chosen One, Lanette, sent to the Imperial forces to negotiate a ceasefire, but she was imprisoned. When Volcens decided to abandon Lanette to her fate, even Reese of Sinon turned his back on him in order to save her. Returning to Navaron with Lanette in tow, Reese and co. found that during their absence, Navaron had been overrun by Imperial forces. As they arrived, Volcens was killed by Cardinal Jacharam of the Church of Raze, who had been posing as Herman, one of the royal advisors, for many months and sabotaged the League's defensive operations. After successfully rescuing Volcens's sister Sienna (among others), Reese and his knights regained Navaron and repelled the Imperial Forces. Afterward, Princess Sienna received a letter from Empress Anastasia of the Raze Empire, who had managed to overcome Faisal's attempted coup d'état. In 619 VAC, Faisal's forces were defeated, and the Imperial Prince was trampled to death by his own fleeing troops. Sienna was crowned Queen of Veria, and she married her half-cousin Bernard. Zephyrus eventually revealed his identity as Friedrich, a prince of Veria and Leia, and he assumed the vacant throne of Leia. The other kingdoms of the Eastern Three, Pesil and Ishs, united under his leadership. Manaris's position as Emperor Kleiman VII of Raze was secured, and the continent of Lazberia entered a new era of peace between the three great powers: Veria, Leia, and Raze. Kingdom of Veria (ヴェリア王国) The Kingdom of Veria proper is a roughly rectangular region in the northeast of the realm. It rules over seven duchies (大公国) and five marches (小公国), and it has control over various unincorporated regions as well. It also provides land and protection to the Church of Veria in the form of the Autonomous See. The royal capital is at Valemtine (バレムタイン Baremutain), formerly known as Eltana. The kingship of Veria is held by the Arlesian Dynasty, descended from King Arless I, the first king. In accordance with the pact Arless I made with Apostle Valentia, Veria's king must be a follower of the Church of Veria and must be crowned by the authority of the Apostle. As such, the king's power ultimately derives from that of the Apostle, so he is considered to be divinely ordained by the Goddess Veria, but if the king is excommunicated, the Apostle also has the right to depose him. The Seven Duchies The seven duchies are ruled by dukes (公爵 koushaku), who rank just under the royal family in stature. These duchies are officially realms of the Verian crown, and the dukes themselves are subjects of the Verian king. Duchy of Yutoria Yutoria's (ユトリア公国 Yutoria koukoku) capital city is Berion (ベリオン Berion). In early production drafts, its duke's name was Garlant (ガーラント Gāranto). Little else is known of Yutoria save that its duke sided with the Raze Empire during the recent invasion. Duchy of Serenia Serenia's (セレニア公国 Serenia koukoku) capital city is Zaltzheim (ザルツヘイム Zarutsuheimu). Before the duchy was usurped by Count Piers, its duke was Louvet (ルーヴェト Rūveto), whose daughter is Lynette. Two years ago, Duke Louvet and the rest of his family were killed by the traitorous Count Piers; only Lynette was able to be rescued, thanks to her handmaidens, who brought her to Margrave Bernstol of Sinon. Under the command of Piers and Cardinal , Serenia joined Yutoria in betraying the Berwick League, and he and joined the Empire in its invasion. Duchy of Narvia Narvia's (ナルヴィア公国 Naruvia koukoku) capital city is Navaron (ナルヴィア城 Naruvia shiro). Its duke is Roswick. Roswick has two children, Catherine and Vanmilion. Roswick has one deceased brother, Carron, whose daughter is Tianna. Catherine is married to Duke Mikhail Warrenheit of the Lowland Duchy, and they have an adopted daughter, Enid Warrenheit. Narvia's other settlements include Sara (サーラの村 Sāra no mura) and Aryuza (アリューザの街 Aryūza no machi), and Port Samoa (サモアの港町 Samoa no minatomachi). Narvia also contains the Neam Mountains (ニーム山脈 Nīmu sanmyaku), Mount Neville (ネーベル山 Nēberu yama), Demias Forest (デミアスの森 Demiasu no mori), and Ogre Valley (オーガ谷 Ōga tani). After the fall of Valemtine to the Empire, King Volcens and his court fled to Navaron and re-established the Berwick League there. Much of the plot of Berwick Saga takes place in Narvia, especially in Navaron. Duchy of Bornia Bornia's (ボルニア公国 Borunia koukoku) capital city is Menas (メナス Menasu). Its duke is Reed, whose son is Vester. Bornia's other settlements include Ruan (ルーアン城 Rūan shiro) and Fort Turon (ツーロン砦 Tsūron toride). During Berwick Saga, the dukedom is usurped by Theodore, and most of the duchy's soldiers subsequently side with the Raze Empire. Vester then defects back to the Berwick League and struggles to reclaim his homeland. Duchy of Diana Diana's (ディアナ公国 Diana koukoku) capital is unnamed in-game. Its duchess is Sienna, who is married to Bernard, a disinherited prince of Veria. Duchy of the Highland The Highland's (ハイランド公国 Hairando koukoku) capital is Myuhen (ミューヘン Myūhen). In early drafts of Berwick Saga, its duke was named Arnest (アーネスト Arunesuto). Duke Arnest was to be married to a certain Maria (マリア Maria), who would've been a child of Roswick of Narvia, and he would have been the adoptive father of Enid. Instead, Roswick's daughter is Catherine, who is married to Mikhail Warrenheit, Duke of the Lowlands (see below). The Highland Duchy is so named because it is largely covered in high-altitude terrain, including the Goran Plateau and Amtyre Mountains. During Berwick Saga, Myuhen falls to the Raze Empire, and Reese must help the Berwick League's retreating soldiers escape as they are pursued by Imperial forces. Duchy of the Lowland The Lowland's (ローランド公国 Rōrando koukoku) capital is Hariheart (ハリハート Harihāto). Its duke is Mikhail Warrenheit, who is married to Catherine, the daughter of Duke Roswick of Narvia. Mikhail and Catherine's adopted daughter is Enid Warrenheit, the biological daughter of Ferianne Groudel of Leia and Bengrion Goddegram of the Shining Knights. The Lowland's other settlements include Baston (バストンの街 Basuton no machi), Kanne (カンネ村 Kanne mura), Lebron (レブロンの街 Reburon no machi), Omoul (オムール Omūru), Fort Remagen (レマゲン要塞 Remagen yousai), and Fort Damsarl (ダムサル城砦 Damusaru jousai) The Five Marches of Barnoar The five marches are ruled by margraves (inconsistently 公爵 koushaku or 伯爵 hakushaku), who rank beneath the seven dukes. They are similar to the duchies of Veria, except that they do not have as much prestige or political clout. The marches are all located in Barmoar (バルモア地方 Barumoa chihou), a large region on the western edge of the continent. Barmoar is mostly covered by plains and the vast Barmoar Forest (バルモアの森 Barumoa no mori). The interior borders of Barmoar are not shown on the in-game map, but it contains the Marches of Sinon and Mineva, and it is undoubtedly also where the three unnamed marches of Veria are located. Only these two of the five marches are mentioned by name by the in-game map or text, but is known that there are five of them. Some place names in the game's files make reference to Padolf being the ruler of a place called Lombard (ロンバール公国 Ronbāru koukoku), which may have been planned to be another of the marches, but these files are unused in the game. March of Sinon Sinon's (シノン公国 Shinon koukoku) capital is simply called Sinon. Its margrave is Bernstol, whose son is Reese. Sinon is the most recent addition to the marches of the Kingdom of Veria. It was created by Mordias IV in 603 VAC and gifted to Bernstol in recognition of his deeds during the Berwick Civil War. Before this point, the area was known as the Sinon Territory, which had officially been annexed by Veria roughly half a century before, but which had remained an unincorporated frontier inhabited solely by indigenous pastoral tribes. These tribes were widely known to be unwelcoming and distrustful, as they had rebelled and killed all previous governors who had been assigned to the region. King Harmel VII had deemed settling region a lost cause and left its management to the discretion of the nearby Duchy of Serenia; Duke Louvet of Serenia also decided to simply leave the region alone. To the surprise of many, however, Bernstol befriended the native tribes and established a code of laws based on the natives' own laws. He appointed many tribesmen as local leaders, civil servants, and military personnel, and he undertook efforts to assess his new people's needs. Thanks to this, the tribes of Sinon grew to trust Margrave Bernstol, and it be came a stable and well-to-do region. Despite this, Sinon is often seen by outsiders as backwater territory that has only recently adopted civilized culture. In the events leading up to Berwick Saga, the ill margrave sent Reese and a small battalion of Sinon's knights to Narvia to assist King Volcens in reestablishing the collapsing Berwick League. After recovering from his illness, Bernstol assisted in defending against the Raze Empire's invasion on the western front of the war, but he ultimately fell in battle. In the game's epilogue, Reese becomes the new Margrave of Sinon, and after marrying Duchess Lynette of Serenia, he also becomes the Duke of Serenia. March of Mineva (ミネバ公国) Mineva's capital is unnamed in-game. Its margrave is named Calvan (カルヴァン). The march is located in the southernmost tip of the Barmoar Region. Mineva contains a penal colony where King Mordias IV a sent Bernard after his capture during the Berwick Civil War. For the past twelve years leading up to Berwick Saga, Calvan reported falsely to Mordias and later his son Volcens that Bernard had lost his mind, and that there was no need to fear rebellion from him any longer. While this was likely an attempt by Calvan to lobby for Bernard's release in those days, it also caused Volcens to greatly doubt Bernard's capacity as a military leader after his release. Liga Region Liga (リガ地方 Riga chihou) is an unincorporated territory of the Kingdom of Veria that is largely uninhabited. It is covered almost entirely by a vast desert called the Liga Desert (リガ砂漠 Riga sabaku) that is skirted by sparse grasslands around its border. Liga is perhaps best known for its yearly horse festival, where horse riders and breeders come from far away to find the best horses. Liga also is home to an ancient, now unused temple that is seen in-game during Map 7-1: Ancient Treasure. Autonomous See of Danae Danae (ダナエ辺境領 Danae henkyouryou) is an autonomous territory located in southern Veria. Historically, it was entirely administered by the Church of Veria and defended by the Shining Knights, but since the Shining Knights' dissolution by Mordias IV during the Berwick Civil War, governmental affairs have been more directly overseen by the Kingdom of Veria. Berwick Island Berwick (ベルウィック島 Beruwikku shima) is the only significant landmass located in the Sea of Berre. It is administered directly by the Kingdom of Veria, and like the March of Mineva, it is used as a penal colony for exiled citizens. Some time in the latter half of the 2nd century VAC, the island of Berwick lent its name to the Berwick League when the Kingdom of Veria, the Eastern Three, and the Northern Lands formed a pact at an ancient temple located on the island. Eastern Three The kingdoms of the Eastern Three were founded around the beginning of the 2nd century VAC as pilgrims from the ancient Commonwealth of Veria fleeing from the advancing Raze Empire intermixed with local populations. They share similar histories and ethnicities, but they are distinct countries that are grouped under the moniker "Eastern Three" simply for convenience. Kingdom of Leia Leia's (レイア王国 Reia oukoku) capital is simply called Leia. The kingdom was named after its founder, Saint Leia, the bearer of the fire magic Pallas Leia. Its kings and queens are descended from Saint Leia herself. Among Leia's historical kings have been Jean Mugrid the Liberator, Carloman, and Alecto. After King Alecto's death during the Berwick Civil War, Leia was occupied variously by the Kingdom of Veria and the Raze Empire during a tumultuous period of war. Some time after the war's resolution, the long-lost Prince Friedrich of Veria and Leia claimed the throne and united Ishs and Pesil into his realm. Kingdom of Ishs Ishs's (イシス王国 Ishisu oukoku) capital is Ishs. It is the central member of the Eastern Three, and like the rest of the region, it is substantially covered by the massive Ishs Forest. When King Mordias IV of Veria traveled to the aid of Pesil after the fall of Fort Sakiria, he was ambushed and killed by Zephyrus in the terrible Battle of Ishs Forest. Kingdom of Pesil Pesil's (ペシル王国 Peshiru oukoku) capital is Pesil. As the southernmost member of the Eastern Three, it shares the largest border with the Raze Empire. After the Battle of Ishs Forest, Pesil's King Hamill decided to betray the Berwick League and join forces with the Raze Empire. Northern Lands The Northern Lands (北部地方 hokubu chihou) are a loose collection of seven kingdoms located north of the Kingdom of Veria and the Eastern Three. They are known for their harsh climates, and they are not nearly as developed as their neighbors to the south. Kingdom of Riana Riana's (リアナ王国 Riana oukoku) captial is Riana. Although the peoples of the Northern Lands are largely descended from natives to Lazberia rather than the Sons of God, the Semia people (セミア人 Semia jin) who founded Riana are an exception, as they welcomed Saint Riana and her followers as pilgrims many centuries ago. As such, the people of Riana are well-known for widespread magical ability. During the war against the Raze Empire, when northern Veria was abandoned by Volcens, Riana was left without its most powerful ally, and King Marius (マーレス Māresu) of Riana and the rest of the royal family except for Aegina were killed in the invasion. Aegina holds a grudge against Volcens for this reason; she also notes that her people continue to resist Imperial occupation, but without any central leadership. Raze Empire The Raze Empire (ラーズ帝国 Rāzu teikoku) is located to the east of the Berwick League, and it has been the League's mortal enemy for centuries. Its capital is Leoglard (レオグラード Reogurādo), and it is ruled by the aging Emperor Kleiman VI at the start of Berwick Saga. The Imperial throne is ruled by the Zedian Dynasty, descended from Raze's founder, Emperor Zedius I (セディウス一世). Kleiman VI's wife is Anastasia, a disinherited princess of Veria and Leia, and together they have a young son, Manaris. Previously, Kleiman VI's chosen successor was his only surviving relative, his nephew Faisal; however, after Manaris's birth, Faisal began to conspire with Pope Urbanus IV to seize the Imperial Throne and reclaim his title as crown prince. He ultimately failed, being defeated by Zephyrus, and Manaris was crowned Emperor Kleiman VII. The Raze Empire has a long history of aggressive expansion against its neighbors. Its five provinces not part of Raze proper—Garna, Barsion, Izmil, Sakiria, and Boar—are conquered territories that are somewhat autonomous and can be considered their own countries, but they are ultimately subjects of the Emperor. The emperor holds absolute authority over Raze, and society is stratified into a number of social classes, the lowest of which are slaves. One group of the slave caste is composed of young boys taken from conquered lands or as tributes, who are then indoctrinated into Razite culture and trained to be soldiers; Zephyrus and Arcturus started their careers are two such young boys. Many other slaves are domestic servants, and this seems to be the case for most slaves in the Empire. Despite this very unequal society, the public opinion of the state is largely positive and loyal, and the common citizens consider Raze to be a good and safe place to live. Church of Raze The state religion of the Raze Empire is the Church of Raze (ラーズ教団 Rāzu kyoudan), which is headed by the Pope (教皇 kyoukou). The current pope is Urbanus IV, who is assisted by four cardinals—Almachius, Rasputin, Gordova, and Jacharam. The pope is served directly by an elite group of soldiers called the Black Knights (暗黒騎士 ankoku kishi). Pope Urbanus IV was well-known to be a zealous extremist among the Church of Raze who wished for the destruction of all nonbelievers. To that end, he and his loyal priests spread propaganda to incite fear and hatred of the Berwick League among the people of the Raze Empire. Furthermore, in the year 600 VAC, agents sent by Urbanus assassinated King Harmel VII of Veria in an attempt to spark civil strife in the Berwick League. His actions were an overwhelming success, as the mystery surrounding Harmel's death ultimately led to the Berwick Civil War. However, Urbanus's hand in the assassination was revealed by Apostle Silpha in 604 VAC shortly before she herself was assassinated by King Mordias IV. Once Urbanus's guilt was revealed, Emperor Kleiman VI banished Urbanus from his position as pope, and the papal seat was empty for a time, but he was ultimately reinstated by popular demand once the war against the Berwick League began in full force. After his reinstatement, his message of propaganda spread even more fervently, and his extremism finally led to a near-schism in the Church of Raze. However, those who disagreed with Urbanus were quickly rounded up and imprisoned for heresy. One such dissenting priest, Owen, was even cursed by Urbanus, but he managed to escape capture and flee to the Berwick League along with his acolyte Azrael. At the conclusion of Berwick Saga, with the end of the Berwick-Razite War and the failure of his and Faisal's coup d'état, Urbanus flees from his cathedral and is never seen again. The moderate priests of Raze who had been imprisoned were subsequently released, and those among them like Owen led a major reformation in the Church. Izmil The Imperial Province of Izmil (イズミル国 Izumiru kuni) is one of the subservient nations of the Raze Empire, and the only one of significance in Berwick Saga. Being a part of the land once ruled by the ancient Lazberian Empire, it is home to a handful of ancient relics. The Divine Twins Vritra and Vajra, for example, were protected as sacred relics of the Sons of God for generations by the family of the swordmaster Cowen, though they were ultimately stolen by one of Cowen's students, who later became the Black Knight Chaos. Faye (and Faramir) left Izmil for the Berwick League after Chaos's betrayal to search for him and reclaim the Divine Twins. Other Places The Kingdom of Lideon (リデオン王国 Rideon oukoku), though present on the in-game map to the south of the Kingdom of Veria, goes unmentioned in the story of Berwick Saga. It is not a member of the Berwick League, though it is mistakenly shown as one in-game; this is planned to be fixed in the translation patch. In unused game files, Esteban is listed as holding the title "Prince of Lideon," indicating that his backstory was once greatly different. The existence of plot rewrites surrounding Esteban has been confirmed in blog posts by Syozo Kaga. Many other unidentified places are named in Berwick Saga, including: * Anatolia (アナトリア): a place where wine is made * Aragon (アラゴン): a location in the Berwick League where Daoud hails from, perhaps in the Highland Duchy * Lonsania Region (ロンザニア地方): a place where tigers are found * Wallachia Region (ワラキア地方): a place where wild boars are found * Apollonia (アポロネア): Sylwiss's homeland * Port Gaillard (ガリアドの港): a port on the Sea of Berre where Sylwiss encountered Weiss * Morachia (モラキア): the home of Morachian horses * Rosenberg (レーゼンベルク) is a settlement in the Berwick League where Sherpa was hired by Aegina. Presumably, it is located somewhere between Riana and Narvia. Category:Locations Category:Continents